How Hermes and n8n work together¶
Hermes and n8n work together in three ways. Two are ready from the first boot; you switch on the third when you want it. All three stay inside the instance: none is reachable from the internet.
| What it does | For example | Set up | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ask Hermes | Your n8n workflows send Hermes a question and use its answer | A workflow that sorts support emails asks Hermes which team should handle each one | Ready from first boot |
| Hermes tools | While you chat, Hermes uses the n8n tools you attach to the Hermes tools workflow | You attach a Google Sheets tool, then ask Hermes how many orders came in today | Ready from first boot |
| Workflow builder | Hermes creates and edits whole n8n workflows for you | "Build a workflow that posts a sales summary to Slack every morning" | Once, by you: Connect the workflow builder |
Which one do I need?¶
| You want to… | Use | How |
|---|---|---|
| Let Hermes look something up, or do a small task, while you chat | Hermes tools | Attach a tool node to the Hermes tools workflow. See Give Hermes tools from n8n |
| Get a new automation without building it yourself | Workflow builder | Describe it to Hermes. See Let Hermes build workflows |
| Have Hermes fix or change a workflow you built | Workflow builder | Allow that workflow first (Enable MCP access in its ⋯ menu), then speak to Hermes about it |
| Use Hermes's judgement inside a workflow | Ask Hermes | Use the Hermes API (this instance) credential, as the Ask Hermes workflow does |
Two different things in n8n are called MCP
MCP is the standard Hermes uses to talk to n8n, and n8n uses the name for both Hermes tools and the workflow builder:
- The Hermes tools workflow starts with an MCP Server Trigger, named Tools for Hermes.
- The workflow builder uses n8n's Instance-level MCP, under Settings.
n8n also uses the label Enable MCP access twice. Both belong to the workflow builder:
- Under Settings, Instance-level MCP, it switches the whole workflow builder on or off.
- In one workflow's ⋯ menu, it allows Hermes to work on that workflow.
Neither affects Hermes tools or Ask Hermes.
Ask Hermes¶
Hermes runs a private API on the instance. n8n reaches it with a key made for your instance on its first boot, stored in n8n as the credential Hermes API (this instance).
The Ask Hermes workflow shows the pattern: a chat message goes to Hermes, and Hermes's reply comes back. Use the same HTTP Request node and credential in your own workflows, wherever a workflow needs judgement rather than a fixed rule.
Hermes tools¶
The Hermes tools workflow is the list of tools Hermes can call while you chat. It starts with a calculator. Attach any n8n tool node to it, such as Google Sheets, HTTP Request, or Call n8n Workflow Tool to hand Hermes one of your workflows. Hermes can use what you attach, but cannot change it.
See Give Hermes tools from n8n.
Workflow builder¶
Once you connect the workflow builder, Hermes works with n8n as you would in the editor: it searches your workflows, creates new ones, edits the ones it created, tests and publishes them, and archives them. It can work on a workflow you built only after you allow that workflow.
See Let Hermes build workflows.
Keeping the connections working¶
Every time the Hermes gateway starts, the instance checks that Hermes still has
its n8n settings, and puts back any that are missing, for example after
hermes setup rewrites its configuration. It never changes a setting you
chose, such as a connection you switched off.
In Hermes's config.yaml, Hermes tools are the n8n_tools entry and the
workflow builder is the n8n_workflow_builder entry, both under mcp_servers.
To see what is working at any time:
Last updated October 26, 2026 · Suggest an improvement